For decades, presidents have disregarded Article I, Section 8 of the United States Constitution and engaged in warmaking around the world without bothering to get authorization from Congress.
To make matters worse, members of Congress fearful of having to cast tough votes have been more than happy to allow this usurpation of authority occur. It’s one less tough decision for them.
These pages have been consistent on the need for congressional authorization for acts of war.
These editorial pages repeatedly called on the Obama administration to seek congressional approval for its actions against the Islamic State in Syria and Iraq.
We condemned the Obama and Trump administrations for their involvement of American resources in Saudi Arabia’s war in Yemen.
We also condemned President Joe Biden’s bombings in Yemen.
We have repeatedly called for the repeal of the 2001 and 2002 Authorizations for Use of Military Force for their staleness and open-endedness.
Accordingly, we once again point out to local representatives that presidents shouldn’t be able to just wage war whenever they feel like it.
We don’t care for the tyrannical government of Iran. It is a rogue regime that has long oppressed its people, supported terrorists around the world and is antithetical to liberty.
We also aren’t naive to the possibility that the strikes might net positive results without stoking further violence or conflict. Indeed, as of this writing Trump announced a ceasefire between Israel and Iran. We certainly hope for peace.
But the constraints of the U.S. Constitution exist for a reason and violations are violations.
The Founders wisely established a process by which elected leaders are supposed to discuss, debate, approve or disapprove matters as consequential as warmaking.
For all we know, had the president sought congressional authorization, he would have received it.
For all we know, congressional authorization might have been a powerful tool during diplomatic negotiations.
Instead, the president chose to ignore the constitution, bypass Congress, bypass diplomacy and unilaterally put lives on the line.
Unfortunately, local Republican representatives like Young Kim and Ken Calvert issued statements praising the unconstitutional actions of the president.
Common sense on this matter was only to be found among local Democratic members of Congress.
Democratic Rep. Ted Lieu, for example, has been a consistent voice for reasserting the role of Congress in matters of war. Lieu notably spoke out against the Obama administration’s unauthorized war against ISIS. And he has maintained his intellectual consistency, saying that while he supports the goal of a nuclear-free Iran, the Constitution means what it says.
“I believe military strikes ordered by President Trump on Iran need congressional authorization,” he said in a statement.
Democratic Reps. Dave Min, Mike Levin and Norma Torres are among those who likewise issued thoughtful and reasonable statements in defense of the Constitution and against unilateral acts of war by the president.
Explained Levin on X, “Congress has the sole power to declare war. That is not a suggestion. It is the law. No president is above it. And Trump ignored it.
He’s right.
America’s system of checks and balances and separation of powers only works when the participants take the Constitution and their respective roles seriously.
Alas, it appears few in power actually do.
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